The Gene Ireland panel of high index beef bulls for autumn 2022 has been launched by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and its programme partners.
The Gene Ireland breeding programme is a joint initiative between pedigree breeders, commercial farmers, breed societies, artificial insemination (AI) companies, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the ICBF.
According to the ICBF, the primary aim of the programme is “to robustly progeny-test high-index beef bulls which will produce profitable cattle for the suckler beef industry”.
The minimum criteria for a bull to be included on the replacement panel is five stars across breed on the replacement index.
Also included is a section dedicated to high-terminal index bulls which are selected to produce profitable animals for sale or slaughter.
The minimum criteria for a bull to be included in the terminal section is five stars across breed on the terminal index.
According to the ICBF, the bull panel offers farmers:
- Access to the highest-index beef bulls in Irish AI at €5/straw (technician charges may apply);
- Potential to sell progeny back to ICBF for future performance testing at the Tully Beef Test Centre;
- Progress towards meeting the requirements of suckler schemes.
Breeds that are currently available on the panel include Charolais, Limousin and Simmental. Additional breeds may be added to the programme at a later stage.
Code Breed Name Bred by Replacement index Nominated by CH8112 CH Messmer Alain Cocandeau, France €182 Gene Ireland SI8520 SI Portroyal Mr Bull PP John A. Hession, Co. Mayo €163 NCBC LM8286 LM Rutland Reuben Noel Ruttledge, Co. Mayo €153 NCBC SI8121 SI Epik Agrochyt P Vláďa Chytka, Czech Republic €151 Gene Ireland LM8109 LM Percy Lepa de Montmorillon, France €150 Gene Ireland LM7599 LM Moebius Gaec Domaine Laurens, France €130 Gene Ireland LM8259 LM Keltic Rembrandt Mac Murphy, Co. Meath €129 NCBC
One of the highest replacement index bulls that has become available on the panel this autumn is the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC)-owned Irish-bred bull Simmental Portroyal Mr Bull PP (SI8520).
This polled bull was bred in Co. Mayo by John Hession and ranks very high on the replacement index combined with a beef cow calving difficulty of 1%.
Code Breed Name Bred by Terminal index Nominated by CH8541 CH Cattanview Supreme Tim Higgins, Co. Leitrim €185 Dovea CH8262 CH Grangwood Royal Oak Jeremiah O’Keeffe, Co. Limerick €165 NCBC LM7716 LM Birchpark Rufus Owen Flannery, Co. Clare €159 Dovea CH8535 CH Tullyvillage Shane William Flynn, Co. Galway €158 Dovea CH8334 CH Corbaun Rory Liam Keogh, Co. Longford €149 NCBC CH8571 CH Recif Thierry Frecon, France €135 NCBC
One of the standout terminal sires on this year’s panel is the Dovea-owned Tullyvillage Shane (CH8535).
Bred by William Flynn in Co. Galway, this Carrickbrack Hutch son has CF52 on the dam’s side and has a figure of +42.7kg on carcass weight.